Corpus of Electronic Texts Edition

The Irish version of the Historia Britonum of Nennius

Author: [unknown]

List of witnesses

D: A miscellaneous volume, containing various tracts from centuries 14, 15 and 16. Formerly in possession of Duald Mac Firbis and Edward Lhuyd; now in Trinity College Dublin, Class H., Tab. 3, No. 17. The copy of the Leabhar Breatnach is on p. 806 b in this MS. It was probably written in the 14th or early 15th century and forms the basis of Todd's edition. Errors have been corrected in collation with MSS. B and L.

B: Contained in the Book of Ballymote in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. It was written in the 14th century. In the order of sections this MS differs from D; it contains various interpolations.

L: Contained in the Book of Lecan, written in 1427, preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy.

U: A 12th century fragment in Lebor na hUidre, preserved in the Library of the Royal Irish Academy. The fragment starts with acht ceana, a rig, ol se(p. 94, section XIX) and terminates at the end of section XXIV.

M: The Book of Ui Maine, written before 1423, when the scribe Faelán Mac an Gabhann died. Being in private possession, this MS was not accessible for consultation by Todd at the time. It was said to have been translated by Gilla Caoimghin (obiit 1072) into 'Scotic'. Another candidate for translation is a certain Guanach.